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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. club — for dancing
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. stock — shares
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rush — hurry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. craft — a skill
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stock — goods
  16. club — a group
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fork — in a road
  19. club — for golf
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. craft — boats
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pitch — completely
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com